


Hysteria

by orphan_account



Series: Totally '80s [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-26
Updated: 2012-01-26
Packaged: 2017-10-30 04:15:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/327620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin has waited for Arthur ever since he died in Merlin's arms during World War II. And he's not going to waste the chance to have what he wants this time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hysteria

**Author's Note:**

> This is the prologue to a modern AU where Merlin has been alive all along, and every time Arthur is reborn, he has been a part of Arthur's life, though not quite the way he wanted. 
> 
> Merlin's playing for keeps this time, and he's not really planning on revealing his dirty little secret.

It’s been almost seventy years since he has felt this way.  
  
That only makes sense, of course, considering it has been that long since Arthur has been this close. He watched Arthur dancing and laughing with his friends – many of whom have also come back, for reasons Merlin still did not know – and continued the sketch he started as soon as Gwaine abandoned him for the dance floor. Merlin normally declined the invitations to Avalon, the local club his friends frequented on Friday nights, but he had it on good authority (it paid to be friends with George, who was one of Avalon’s managers) that Cenred, the usual disk jockey for Fridays, was off tonight.  
  
He was glad he came. It was good to see Arthur enjoying himself again – the breakup with Vivian had hit him hard, and as his lab partner, Merlin had been feeling a little helpless; he wanted to be there for Arthur through everything, the good and the bad, but how could he when they rarely spent time with each other outside of class? He would join them now, but for the fact that the one he wanted to dance with was already occupied, twirling an enthusiastic Elana around the floor and laughing along as she tripped over her own two feet, dragging Arthur down with her.  
  
That was alright – he could continue to sit and listen to the other boy’s iPod (Arthur had surprisingly good taste in music in this life), which was currently on Bad English’s _Straight to Your Heart_ , and observe from a distance. The observations – such as the little bit of skin that peeked out whenever Arthur turned just so, or the way just a bit of moisture was beginning to bead along his hairline – all went into the sketch.  
  
He took up art a few millennia ago, as a way to pass the time. Now, he has decided to finally put those skills to good use. He has goals for the money he plans to earn from selling some of his work. First, he must get Arthur to notice him – which should prove quite easy, since he had accidentally come into possession of the boy’s music device at the end of Bio this afternoon, and he had a feeling it would soon be missed. Second, he would convince Arthur to get a flat with him, create a life with him; hence the need for funds. The final part of the plan was the hardest – should he tell Arthur the truth, or not?  
  
He had looked into Arthur’s sister – they share both parents this time, which was fascinating; what caused the change? – because he has heard Arthur refer to her as a witch more than once, and Morgana did seem to possess some magical ability, though he suspected Arthur had no clue just how true his epithet actually was. That was fine. Over the years, Merlin’s power had only continued to grow, so in the off chance that Morgana decided to become a problem for them, he felt more than capable of nipping that little idea sharply in the bud.  
  
A thump caused Merlin to look up from where he had been adding a bit more detail to Arthur’s nose, only to see the living breathing version sitting across from him in the booth, panting but full of _joie de virve_. “Come on Emrys,” he cajoled, a little out of breath, reminding Merlin of other reasons Arthur might say the same words, and Merlin shook himself a bit – this was not the time or place, “what are you doing sitting here, drawing in your little book again? Come dance.” Giving Arthur a considering look, and noting with an inappropriate amount of enjoyment the way that this close scrutiny caused him to shift in his seat, Merlin decided to play with Arthur a bit.  
  
“Alright, Arthur. If you’ll excuse me for a moment.” He may never tell Arthur the whole story, but he could certainly leave him hints here and there – and drive him a bit crazy in the process.  
…  
He grinned as he watched the young people in the club looking around in confusion as Def Leppard’s _Hysteria_ came over the sound system, a far cry from the typical music played in this venue, and stro de purposely across the dance floor toward a slightly suspicious looking Arthur. Arthur’s eyes widened a rather comical amount when Merlin put his hands on Arthur’s hips, clearly wondering where his normally clumsy lab partner had gone, and in the background all of their friends hooted and made sly comments.  
  
He leaned forward and whispered low as they moved, his lips brushing against his dance partner’s ear, “I have something that belongs to you. Would you like to have it back?” His lips turned up when he felt the shudder that ran through the body under his fingers.  
  
“Yes.” He loved the way that the word was practically dragged from Arthur’s mouth, reveled in this new-found power over the boy – oh, he would never abuse it. All he wanted was to take care of Arthur, and for now he simply wished to capture his attention. Judging from the way he was staring at Merlin now, he decided that would be no problem.  
  
As the song drew to a close, Merlin pulled away and said goodnight, bringing Arthur out of the daze he had been in for the past few minutes. “You’re leaving?”  
  
“Yeah, I have something I need to do. But I’ll see you tomorrow at the little coffee shop in the student center.” He forced himself to turn around in what would appear an aloof and mysterious manner, and then headed over to his bike.  
  
He owed Freya a visit. For the last few lifetimes, she had been parading as Merlin’s mother, the centuries spent in the Lake providing more than enough magic for her to live outside of it, provided she made a visit to the waters every decade or so. Though the filial relationship was a farce, the affection between them was genuine, and he knew she would want to be informed of his progress with Arthur.  
  
When Merlin felt Arthur entering the world this time, he had wondered why his king was being brought back – and to a lawyer and his philanthropist housewife. In the past when Arthur came back, he was the son of a Lord or a general in the armed forces, with Merlin close at hand. Arthur had been an integral, though unsung, part of the British efforts in the Second World War before he died on the field in Merlin’s arms – again. Patent law seemed utterly unimportant by comparison.  
  
He had shared his thoughts on the matter with Freya, and after watching her friend for a while she had said, “Perhaps the fates thought it was time for them to give something back. Every single time Arthur has returned, he has led a life that ultimately kept the two of you apart. Maybe this is the one that will change that.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
She had leaned across the little table in her kitchen and taken his hand – the one which wore a ring slightly too large for his slender fingers, keeping it safe for its true owner – gazing at him intently. “I mean, don’t you think it’s time for you to be happy? Don’t waste this chance, Merlin. You may not get another one.”  
  
Well, his friend would be thrilled to know that he was taking her advice. As he pulled on his helmet and threw a leg over his bike, Jefferson Starship’s _Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now_ came to him, and he started humming un der his breath as he drove off. Yes, he was definitely going to take this chance.


	2. You're Out of Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin returns Arthur's iPod, and Arthur talks more than he was planning to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you may have noticed, each chapter mentions songs from the '70s, '80s, and early '90s. This might seem a bit like self-indulgence, but these are all songs that I've loved since I was little, and I felt like sharing them with everyone else. If you get curious, head on over to youtube and type in the title of whichever song suits your fancy. I'll try to remember to post the titles of whichever songs don't get named in the actual fic in the notes at the end.

His lab partner observed Arthur’s slightly uncomfortable, anticipatory attitude, and asked, “So, this is what you like?”  
  
By “this,” Merlin meant the hundreds of songs on Arthur’s iPod, which he handed over in exchange for his own.  
  
At his casual, completely accepting tone, Arthur relaxed, glancing up from the precious object in his hands. Upon meeting the wide, guileless eyes of the other boy, he felt compelled to elaborate, as was often the case whenever the two of them were in close proximity. _And this is why I generally don’t spend time with you outsi de of school, Emrys._ “I didn’t always. When I was younger, I grew up hearing classical music, and occasionally, when my father was happy about something, he would break out his jazz collection.”  
  
“And then?”  
  
At Merlin’s gentle prodding, Arthur said, “And then one day when I was twelve, after we had just finished a truly terrible row, I ran up to the attic and tripped over an old box labeled, “Ygraine” and out came dozens of cassette tapes. Well, naturally I couldn’t actually take the cassettes with me; my father would know. So I wrote down the titles of the tapes and the first chance I got, I went to the local music store.” He stopped and smiled, remembering for a moment how it had felt that first day, finally being able to have some sort of connection to his mother. “The first CD I bought was _Crimes of Passion.”_  
  
Merlin made an intrigued sound. “Heavy stuff for a twelve year old. Why that one?”  
  
Arthur shrugged. “It seemed appropriate, at the time. I must have listened to _Hell Is for Children_ about a thousand times that year.”  
  
Looking concerned, his lab partner asked, “Wait, you were never…?” and then shifted uncomfortably, unable to finish the sentence.  
  
Arthur raised his eyebrows, “Abused?” and then shook his head, saying, “No, my father never laid a hand on me. He just… sometimes he can be really intense, you know? Anyway, over the next few years, I kept adding to my collection, and then eventually I stopped listening to it for her, and started listening to it for _me_.” He looked up at Merlin, who for all his gawkiness was actually taller, and de manded, “You’re not going to tell anyone, are you?”  
  
Merlin held up his hands in the universal sign for, ‘I’m completely harmless’ and said, “Hey, what you like is entirely your business. Obviously I won’t say anything if you don’t want me to, but it’s nothing to be ashamed about. My mother still plays that stuff around the house whenever I go back on holiday.”  
  
“Yes, but you’re… you, and I’m…” he didn’t actually want to say that he was way more popular than Merlin could ever hope to be, because he quite liked the other boy - even though he often found himself revealing far too much information around him.  
  
Thankfully, he didn’t need to. “And you’re Arthur Pendragon, captain of the rugby team, all-around Oxford favorite and Prince Charming. Believe me, I get it. It’s different for you.”  
  
Arthur saw his completely genuine compassion and understanding, and felt his shoulders slump. “Thanks, Emrys. I owe you one.”  
  
This caused Merlin to smile rather mischievously and warn him, “Careful, Pendragon. Someday I might actually collect.” And then he turned around and walked away from the table they had been sharing at the student center’s coffee shop, humming Hall and Oats’ _Out of Touch_.  
  
Arthur was left staring after him, when the meaning of the reference finally sunk in. Far too late, he called out, “Hey!” and then glared meaningfully at the other students who had looked up at his outburst, causing them to duck down in their seats.  
  
Well, at least some people still knew who was king, even if his lab partner didn’t.


	3. I'm the One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur finds something on the doorstep to his dorm and falls a little bit in love.

Theirs was perhaps always destined to be the oddest courtship in the modern day.  
  
It began with mixes from artists whose heyday ended in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.  
  
Arthur walked up to his dorm one morning and noticed a CD case with a sticky note declaring, _**For Arthur Pendragon**_ in bold, cramped writing.  
  
He proceeded into the dorm, walking right on by Leon, his dorm mate, and plopped down on his bed, retrieving his laptop from his bulging book bag.  
  
As soon as the first notes of Mr. Big’s _To Be With You_ came through his earbuds, his lips curled up helplessly and his face scrunched up in slightly mortified appreciation; not many people knew of his love for this genre, and the fact that someone had taken the time to create a mix specifically targeted to his guilty pleasure was gratifying, if a little concerning: did he need to worry about being stalked?  
  
But as the CD played on, with pieces by Journey, Chicago, Boston, and even Steve Perry’s single _Oh Sherry_ , Arthur had a feeling he knew exactly where this had come from.  
  
Because only his goofy lab partner in Bio, who had accidentally taken his iPod home one day, rather than his own, knew his musical tastes this thoroughly. And at the end, there was a voiceover, with the soft, slightly raspy, always energetic voice of Merlin Emrys, asking would Arthur please consider doing him the honor of accompanying him to the open mike night at “The Rising Sun,” the pub where most of the students liked to hang out?  
  
What followed was many nights spent listening to horrible singing, embarrassingly well-loved artists, and Merlin telling him all about his visions for the future – their future. Merlin would help bring less privileged clients to his father’s firm, and Arthur would be Pendragon & Mercer’s greatest asset.  
  
Arthur wasn’t entirely certain about Merlin’s dreams for their future, but he was more than happy to enjoy the moment, and yet another listen through Pat Benatar’s, _We Belong._


	4. Let me hold you, let me love you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys watch a silly movie and have a bit of a heart to heart.

Curled up together on Merlin's worn out old couch, watching the 1993 movie _Buffy_ , Arthur looked up from where his head lay on Merlin’s shoulder and asked softly, “Merlin?”  
  
“Mmm?” Merlin sounded sleepy and content, and Arthur almost decided to let it go, but his curiosity would not allow it.  
  
“Why do you always use music when you want to talk with me?” His head rose and fell with the long and steady inhale and exhale which typically signaled that Merlin was gathering his thoughts.  
  
“Do you remember when we accidentally switched our iPods?” Arthur did. That was almost two years ago, and he could still remember the way Merlin had felt in that club, pressed up so close and speaking so softly into his ear, and then the next day when they met in the student center and exchanged their iPods over coffee. “Well, that was the first time you really noticed me as anything other than your lab partner.” Was that what Merlin thought? That could not have been father from the truth. Even while he had dated Vivian - and Arthur cringed a bit at the memories of his time with her now - he had been unable to get his lab partner out of his head. He had felt guilty about it at the time, and more than a little unnerved.  
  
“That’s not true at all, Merlin. I noticed you – I just didn’t know what to do about it. No one else has ever made me feel so… I can talk to you, and you just get it, you know? And at the time, that kind of…”  
  
“Made you nervous?” And Merlin was his usual wonderful, supportive self, not teasing him about his discomfort, just sort of taking it all in stride. It was almost impossible to remember that two years ago, this complete acceptance had made Arthur feel so edgy and uncertain; now he had no idea what he would do without it.  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Well, regardless, that was the most encouraging response I’d managed to get from you up to that point, and so I figured the music really mattered to you. And what better way to speak to you than through something you love?” Merlin shrugged, though he was careful not to dislodge Arthur. “After that it sort of became a habit – our own language. Does it bother you?”  
  
Arthur took some time to really think about it. It was nice, the thought of having their own little way of sharing their thoughts and feelings, and he liked being constantly reminded of how well his partner knew him. It was just another of the many ways that Merlin showed Arthur how much he was loved.  
  
“No. No, it doesn’t bother me at all.” He knew that Merlin understood when he started murmuring the lines from Boston’s _Higher Power_ , even as they watched Kristen Swanson slay a fly with a pin on her principal’s wall.


	5. Maneater

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin meets Morgana after proposing to Arthur.

Arthur had a feeling this was a very, _very_ bad i dea.  
  
As they stood outside _The Rising Sun_ , his discomfort began to grow, and he caught Merlin sending him more than one concerned glance out of the corner of his eye.  
  
A sleek, emerald green sedan pulled to a stop in front of where they waited, and the first thing to emerge was a long, elegant leg clad in black leggings and stiletto-heeled boots. Then came the rest of the body, encased in a tight-fitting green dress which left next to nothing to the imagination, followed by a cascade of hair as dark as the owner’s heart.  
  
“Hello, darling. I believe congratulations are in order. Who knew you would actually be able to find someone willing to put up with you for life?” His sister. The Devil incarnate.  
  
Beside him, he heard a soft, raspy tenor quietly singing, “Mind over matter, the beauty is there, but the beast is in her heart,” and he snorted, leaning over to whisper, “As long as you remember that, you should be fine.”  
  
Merlin shot him a playfully skeptical look, but taking in the genuine agitation Arthur felt, he then nodded, shutting his mouth and moving forward to greet the witch who unfortunately shared Arthur's blood. “Hi! You must be Morgana - I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Merlin.” He held out a long, graceful hand, and Arthur watched the interactions between them jealously. They looked completely gorgeous together, their similar coloring and fine bone structure striking and beautiful; a matched set.  
  
All his life, Arthur had been competing with his sister, and the one person he never thought he would have to worry about losing to her looked dangerously close to falling into her black-widow web of feminine wiles, smiling in that warm but slightly bashful way that always made Arthur's heart race and his breath stutter.  
  
“Hopefully it wasn’t all bad, Merlin. I know how dramatic Arthur can be. And, just so you know, whenever he _does_ remember to call,” at this she sent Arthur a basilisk’s glare, “he simply can’t shut up about you. It’s quite adorable really.” Merlin grinned, clearly charmed and a little bit sheepish.  
  
Offering his arm, Merlin replied, “Oh, you know, siblings rarely speak well of each other. But I’m glad you came out to meet us today – your brother’s very important to me and I want his family to feel comfortable about us.”  
  
Arthur hurried to catch up to the pair as they walked into the pub, feeling sore with the entire affair already.  
…  
After Morgana excused herself to the ladies’, Merlin turned to Arthur and laid a hand on his thigh, squeezing gently. “Stop worrying, Arthur. You know you’re the only one for me.” And as Merlin began humming Eddie Money’s _I Think I’m In Love_ , Arthur relaxed into the fake brown leather of the booth and scooted as close to Merlin as possible, both staking his claim and taking comfort in the warmth and affection which seemed to seep into him from their close contact. This was why he and Merlin were so perfect for each other – no matter what, Merlin always knew how to draw him out of his funk.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song which goes unnamed in this is Daryl Hall's _Maneater_.


	6. I Can't Stop Loving You (Chances Are Few)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something is returned to Arthur and everything is right in the world.

Arthur finally managed to get the key to turn in the lock and he walked into his flat, grateful that he could come home to Merlin and not Leon, who was a wonderful dorm mate, and an extremely loyal friend, but not someone he was willing to be vulnerable around. And right now, he was feeling pretty vulnerable. With his last final completed not twenty minutes ago, he was officially ready to graduate.  
  
On the one hand, he was ready to move on to a new stage in his life. On the other hand, he couldn’t be certain that it would be a new stage in their life, which was really all that he wanted. Really, he shouldn’t be worried, he reflected, considering all the times Merlin had spoken of the life they would build together, and he knew that Merlin always honored his promises. However, that knowledge could not completely prevent Arthur from feeling uncertain now that graduation was here.  
  
Shrugging off his shoulder bag and rolling his neck, Arthur noticed something which had previously escaped him.  
  
There were rose petals on the floor.  
  
Raising an intrigued eyebrow, he followed the path toward the bedroom, and when he reached the wide open door, he could hear the faint sounds of Toto’s, _Stop Loving You_ and stepped curiously insi de. The rose petals led all the way to the bed, and not too far from the bed was – “Merlin?”  
  
Merlin was busy lighting the last of a series of candles – cedar and sandalwood, both of Arthur’s favorite scents – and as he clicked off the lighter, he turned to Arthur and smiled, holding out both his hands.  
  
What could Arthur do but take them?  
  
He watched Merlin kneel down and felt his breath catch. He had a fairly good idea where this was going.  
  
“Arthur, I know you’ve been feeling anxious about the future, and what our graduation will mean. I have said time and again that I can’t imagine being with anyone but you, but I will say it a thousand times more if you need to hear it. I want to be by your side, helping you, taking care of you, loving you for the rest of my life. So, if you’ll have me, I’d like to give you something.” Here, Merlin took out a small black box from his trousers, and Arthur had a brief moment to wonder where a poor student like Merlin had scrounged up the money for what was clearly a ring, before he opened it, and time seemed to stop. It was as if the ring had been made for Arthur’s hands, and he knew, even before he allowed his partner to slide the band on, it would be a perfect fit.  
  
As the next track in the mix Merlin must have made specifically for this purpose came on, Arthur smiled. Merlin would never need to walk 500 miles for him – or 500 kilometers, but Arthur could certainly appreciate the idea of them growing old together. So he said the only thing he could say.  
  
“Yes. Yes, of course I’ll have you.” Merlin’s smile was more beautiful than the rising of the sun, and just as powerful.  
  
As the two celebrated that night, both with their bodies and with their souls, Arthur could feel his world settling, and knew that this was how it should be. Merlin and Arthur, together. Until death did they part.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song not named in this piece is The Proclaimers' I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles), included both because it is an amazing song, and because jelazakazone asked for it <3.


End file.
